Divination is the practice of seeking knowledge, insight, or wisdom through supernatural means. This often involves practices like astrology, numerology, fortune telling, palm reading, tarot cards, ouija boards, channeling spirits, interpreting omens or signs, and consulting mediums or psychics. The Bible has a lot to say about these types of practices. Let’s take a comprehensive look at what Scripture teaches about divination.
The Old Testament View of Divination
In the Old Testament, divination is strictly prohibited. Passages like Deuteronomy 18:10-12 clearly forbid engaging in practices like fortune telling, sorcery, interpreting omens, witchcraft, casting spells, mediumship, and necromancy (communicating with the dead). These acts are labeled as “detestable” to the Lord. Consulting mediums and spiritists is similarly denounced in passages like Leviticus 19:31 and 20:6.
Why does the Old Testament react so strongly against divination? First, these practices imply that God is not the only true source of supernatural knowledge and insight. Consulting mediums, astrologers, and fortune tellers suggests that God’s wisdom is either deficient or inaccessible. But passages like Isaiah 8:19-20 affirm that God’s instruction is supreme. His people are to consult only Him and His divine law.
Secondly, divination attempts to manipulate supernatural forces, rather than humbly submitting to God’s sovereignty over all creation. Deuteronomy 18 makes this clear, stating that the nations practice divination “to their gods,” but God’s people must not imitate them. The prophets likewise condemned Israel for blending the worship of Yahweh with pagan occult practices. God wants His people to rely on Him alone, through prayer and study of His word.
Thirdly, divination functions through demonic and deceitful sources that God expressly forbids contacting. Passages like Leviticus 20:27 confirm that mediums do not actually summon the spirits of departed loved ones, but rather demons impersonating the dead. Their predictions may have some limited accuracy, but are ultimately misleading. Moreover, they reinforce people’s pagan worldviews instead of calling them to repentance and faith in the one true God.
So in summary, the Old Testament sees divination as (1) undermining God’s sole authority and wisdom, (2) manipulative and pagan at its roots rather than submissive to God’s sovereign will, and (3) achieved through forbidden demonic sources of knowledge. All of this explains the harsh condemnation it consistently receives.
The New Testament View of Divination
The New Testament upholds the Old Testament prohibitions against divination. Passages like Acts 8:9-13 and 16:16-18 portray all magical arts and occult practices in an equally negative light. Simon the sorcerer’s attempt to buy the apostles’ spiritual gifts indicates how starkly his occult practices conflicted with the gospel. Similarly, Paul casts out the spirit of divination from a slave girl in Philippi, depriving her masters of the profits they made from her fortune telling.
The NT also gives us some additional theological reasons to avoid divination:
– Christ’s sacrifice gives us direct access to God, making occult means of insight unnecessary (Hebrews 4:14-16).
– We have God’s own Spirit living within us to teach us and guide us into truth (John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:12-13).
– As children of light (Ephesians 5:8), we are called to expose deeds of darkness like divination rather than participate in them (Ephesians 5:11).
– We are to renew our minds by God’s truth rather than conforming to our culture’s patterns – and our culture is saturated with divination (Romans 12:2).
So the New Testament affirms the Old Testament stance. Nowhere are any occult arts portrayed in a positive or permissible light. Like the OT, the New Testament calls God’s people to renounce divination and instead humbly rely on Him for wisdom, guidance, and insight through prayerful study of His word.
Addressing Arguments in Favor of Divination
Some argue that the Bible’s prohibitions only applied to certain destructive forms of divination practiced by Israel’s pagan neighbors. They believe divination techniques can be practiced acceptably so long as the Christian practitioners maintain proper theological understandings.
But the above survey demonstrates that the biblical authors viewed divination wholesale as a rival religious system to biblical faith. After all, even “accurate” fortune telling and prediction gains its knowledge through demonic sources, not from God. Any true insights are deceptive in how they affirm the greater worldview context of pagan occult arts.
More to the point, the heart motivations behind divination contradict humble reliance on God’s wisdom and sovereignty. People pursue divination because they are unsatisfied with God’s overt means of guidance such as Scripture, prayer, wise counselors, and Christian discernment through the Spirit. They show a lack of trust and patience to wait on the Lord’s timing for revealing His will.
Some believe astrology is permissible for Christians since the magi who visited Jesus used the stars to help locate him. But the magi were pagan astrologers prior to encountering Christ! The Bible condemns astrology; their prior background in it does not endorse it. If anything, the narrative depicts God mercifully overriding their pagan methods to lead them to Jesus through other means like the direct revelation of the star.
Others argue that passages like Joseph using a silver cup for divination authorize Christians to use divination. But these stories are descriptive, not prescriptive. They no more endorse divination than biblical accounts of polygamy, prostitution, or murder endorse those sins. We require didactic passages to define right from wrong.
Some say passages about testing prophecies and spirits permit divination since it requires careful discernment (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22, 1 John 4:1-3). But again, these passages call us to test teaching by Scripture, not ongoing participation in occult arts. The means matter just as much as the need for discernment.
So in conclusion, common arguments that some forms of divination may be permissible simply do not hold up under close examination. The biblical witness is consistently negative from cover to cover.
The Dangers of Divination from a Christian Perspective
Given the strongly negative biblical view toward divination, it’s important we also understand the practical dangers it poses so we can avoid being ensnared:
– It erodes reliance on God’s wisdom and sovereign plan for our lives when we rely on pagan occult techniques for guidance and insight.
– It exposes our minds and spirits to deceitful demonic influences that mask themselves as benign spiritual aids.
– It instills fear, uncertainty, and unhealthy obsession by focusing our attention on obscure meanings, omens, signs, and mystical speculation.
– It wastes time, money, and resources that could better serve God’s kingdom in pursuing true wisdom from His word.
– It causes us to conform to the patterns of this world by tapping into the same occult practices and assumptions as pagan culture around us.
– It syncretizes pagan worldviews and practices with Christian faith in unbiblical and dangerous ways.
– It profanes God’s name and holy word by dragging it in unnecessarily to justify pagan practices God detests.
– It often becomes addictive, as people rely on their daily horoscope, tarot readings, mediums, psychics, and other divination methods for decision making rather than developing true biblical wisdom and discernment.
– It provides a deceitful sense of power, insight, and hidden knowledge that caters to human pride and arrogance.
In light of these grave dangers, it’s easy to see why Scripture so consistently warns God’s people against all forms of divination. The risks far outweigh any perceived benefits.
Pursuing Godly Wisdom as an Alternative to Divination
Rather than relying on pagan occult arts for guidance and insight, Scripture calls us to pursue wisdom and discernment in radically different ways as God’s people. Consider just some of those healthy biblical alternatives:
– Study, memorize, and meditate on Scripture, which equips us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14-17). Hide it in our hearts (Psalm 119:11).
– Pray continually about all situations and decisions we face to seek God’s wisdom and illuminate His word (James 1:5).
– Pursue close mentoring relationships with spiritually mature believers who can provide biblical counsel and accountability.
– Develop biblical discernment over time by practicing applying Scripture to life situations and observing the results.
– Seek unity and consensus within the church body regarding important decisions.
– Learn general wisdom principles from Scripture and godly people to apply to decisions.
– Make careful rational analysis of options when making decisions or planning.
– Observe circumstances and evaluate whether doors seem open or closed.
– Listen to your conscience and evaluate whether you have peace or unease about a decision.
– Make decisions cautiously, reversibly, and in progressive steps when appropriate.
– Trust God’s sovereignty to guide when His will or direction is unclear after doing due diligence.
Through such means, we can trust God to wisely lead and guide us by His Spirit according to His divine purposes. We need not resort to unbiblical and dangerous occult practices.
How Should Christians Respond to Divination?
Given Scripture’s overwhelmingly negative view of divination, how then should Christians respond when we encounter it in our culture or even among our fellow believers?
– We can explain graciously but firmly that divination goes contrary to God’s character and commands. It reflects a lack of trust and willingness to humbly submit to His ways.
– We can highlight the sufficiency of God’s Word compared to occult practices. Scripture thoroughly equips us for wisdom and godly guidance when applied by God’s Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
– We can help provide biblical perspective and counsel to those worried about discerning God’s will or gaining wisdom for decisions.
– We can direct people to passages exposing divination’s dangers and affirming God’s sole spiritual authority over His people.
– We can pray against any demonic influence or bondage behind someone’s involvement with divination. The spiritual forces behind it are real.
– We can share testimonies of God’s grace in our own lives showing how His Word and Spirit have guided and directed us, proving we have no need for divination.
– We can model humility, faith, and spiritual maturity by demonstrating how surrendering to Christ’s lordship practically impacts how we make decisions.
– We must show compassion, remembering that Jesus regularly reached out to and showed grace toward those trapped in occult practices and spiritual confusion during His ministry.
So while we must stand firmly on Scripture’s warnings against divination, we can also reach out sensitively, gently, and lovingly to those who have become entangled in it. Our goal is always to guide people to the superior knowledge and grace found in Christ.
Concluding Thoughts
Divination relies on pagan occult techniques God expressly condemns as dangerous distortions of His supreme wisdom and sovereign plan for Creation. While often misconstrued as benign in today’s culture, Scripture exposes the demonic deception and rebellion behind all divination. It also outlines many healthy alternatives for discerning God’s will that rely on His Spirit working through prayerful study and application of His Word. While we should stand firmly against participation in divination, we also need reach out sensitively to lead those involved toward Christ’s superior truth, wisdom, and freedom from any spiritual bondage caused by divination.